Growling
by SophieLikesWaves
Summary: April 2017. Victoire comes of age. Sequel of sorts to Howling, as in it helps if you read that first, but it doesn't really matter. A moon. A field. A boy. A girl. TeddyVictoire.


_"Happy birthday, dear Viiiiic-toirrre,  
Happy birthday to you!"_

The kitchen of The Burrow exploded into cheers as Victoire Weasley leant forward, grinning, to blow out her seventeen candles. James stuck his fingers into his mouth and whistled loudly, earning himself a Look from Ginny; Hugo and Albus, flailing wildly, appeared to be performing a celebratory tribal dance; her father kissed her on the top of the head and whispered "Congratulations, sweetheart."

Teddy Lupin was leaning against the dresser, his turquoise hair artfully dishevelled, and something about the way he was looking at her made Victoire hide behind her sheet of strawberry-blonde hair so her mother wouldn't see her blushing. She could feel the note in her pocket. It's important, he'd said when he slipped it into her hand, with something in his eyes that she couldn't read. Teddy was up to something.

It was hours before they could get away. Teddy shot her increasingly impatient looks until finally, while her mother was asking Hermione about Victor Krum, he stepped over Freddie, curled up in front of the fire with cake in his hair, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the door.

Laughing, they ducked through the hedge and ran across the field.

"Are you going to tell me what we're doing?" demanded Victoire breathlessly, as Teddy came to a halt. He turned to look at her, still holding her hand, and she felt her knees weaken ever-so-slightly, the way they always did when she saw his flushed cheeks and bright eyes.

"D'you know what tonight is?" he asked earnestly. Victoire looked up at the dark sky.

"Full moon."

"It's the full -" Teddy began, before he broke off, glaring at her. "You're ruining the moment. You're supposed to say 'my birthday,' and then I say 'full moon.' Don't you remember?"

A slow smile spread across Victoire's face.

"It's not funny!" protested Teddy, as she bit back a giggle.

"I know. You're lovely. Come here," she said, stretching up to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose. "Start again, go on."

"Humph," said Teddy, looking rather pleased, "All right. D'you know what tonight is?"

"It's my birthday," managed Victoire, before she dissolved into laughter. Teddy let out an anguished groan and collapsed into the grass, dramatically. She sank down beside him, still gasping, and lay still until the hiccups had subsided. He hadn't moved.

She turned her face towards him and studied the highlights the moon was picking out in his strange, beautiful hair. He shifted slightly, glancing at her before looking away again quickly, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth.

"I got you a present," he said, and Victoire rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow to look down into his face.

"You got me something?" she asked, grinning, and Teddy sat up, rummaging in his pocket to produce something that glinted in the pale light. It was a bracelet, delicate and tarnished.

"Give me your arm," he said, and Victoire stuck it out obligingly. He fastened the bracelet for her, and she shivered as his fingers brushed the inside of her wrist.

"It's beautiful," she said softly. "What is it?"

"Moonstone," said Teddy, smirking slightly. "Happy birthday, Vic."

Victoire looked at the milky stones and back at Teddy, and all of a sudden she had her hands in his hair and she was kissing him. In an instant, his arms were tight around her, his mouth moving against hers, and she could feel him smiling. He tasted like cake, which was nice.

They rolled over and over in the grass; they were tangled together. Victoire felt slightly dazed; the only thing she knew was Teddy, and Teddy's lips on her neck, and Teddy's hand sliding over the flat of her stomach. She sighed. Teddy growled against her throat.

"Wait, was that - did you growl at me?"

"I can't help it, I'm an animal." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Victoire started laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"I think you made my lung explode," she gasped. "Oh, it hurts."

"Well, that's flattering," muttered Teddy.

As she calmed down, Victoire became very aware of his arm in the grass, an inch from hers. She reached out and entwined her fingers with his long ones.

"You're glowing," said Teddy.

* * *

When Victoire opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that the sky was blue. The second thing she noticed was that Freddie was standing over them, jigging about like he was being bitten by fleas.

"Everyone's looking for you two, you know. Did you sleep out here? Was it cold? Why are you holding hands?"

Beside her, Teddy let out a loud groan that sounded like it came from somewhere painful. Victoire looked down at her bracelet, grinned, and went back to sleep.

* * *

_And you didn't even notice  
When the sky turned blue  
And you couldn't tell the difference  
Between me and you  
And I nearly didn't notice  
The gentlest feeling_

Bloc Party, Blue Light


End file.
